


the wind was foul and the sea ran high

by amosanguis



Series: crossovers and fusions ftw [44]
Category: Black Sails, Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, BAMF Merlin, Gen, Historical Inaccuracy, Immortal Merlin, Immortal Percival, M/M, Semi-Public Sex, vague 1x06 (Black Sails) spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-26
Updated: 2015-01-26
Packaged: 2018-03-09 05:35:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3238247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amosanguis/pseuds/amosanguis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He tells himself that he’s still an honorable man – that Leon and Gwaine and Elyan wouldn’t mind too much what he’s become.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the wind was foul and the sea ran high

**Author's Note:**

> Title from “Leave Her, Johnny” – one of the _Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag_ sea shanties.

-z-

 

He tells himself that he’s still an honorable man – that Leon and Gwaine and Elyan wouldn’t mind too much what he’s become.

(He never really believes it.)

 

-x-

 

“I think you’re doing fine,” Merlin says, and even in the moonlight, Percival can see his smile forced.  (It must be a Bad Day; a day when Merlin feels the weight of his continuous search for Arthur, when he just feels so tired.  Percival gets them, too – it’s one of the many reasons they stay in touch.)

“You don’t have to lie to me,” Percival says, digging his bare toes into the still warm sand.

Merlin scoffs, says: “I would never.”

“No, of course not,” Percival says, rolling his eyes and leveling a look at his old friend.  “Remind me again how long it took for you to tell me you even had magic?”

“About as long as it took for you to tell me you were immortal,” Merlin counters.

“To be fair,” Percival says, “I didn’t know.”

Merlin smiles, and it’s sad this time.  He opens his mouth and Percival knows it’s to apologize – so Percival leans down, quick, and kisses him. 

Merlin leans into the kiss, brings a hand up and scratches lightly at Percival’s neck.  Then he nips at Percival’s lips and grabs Percival by the front of his shirt, pulling him down until he was settled between Merlin’s legs.

 

-

 

“You’re doing fine,” Merlin says, wearing a woman’s form as he stands with Percival on the dock, their foreheads pressed together.  They both ignore the gawking from Percival’s shipmates.

“I’ve missed you,” Percival finally says.

“Well, _Billy_ ,” Merlin starts, pulling back just far enough so he could look Percival in the eye, “I’m feeling a bit adventurous, maybe we’ll see each other again soon.”

Then he’s pulling back, winking obnoxiously and blowing Percival a kiss.

“What’s that mean?” Percival asks, smirking at the dangerous mischievous look in Merlin’s eyes.

Merlin doesn’t answer, just turns and disappears into the crowded streets of Nassau.

“And who was that beautiful young lady?” John Silver asks.

“No one you could ever handle,” Percival snorts, brushing by the cook.

 

-x-

 

“Captain!” the watch calls out suddenly, getting the attention of the captain and every crew member on deck as he waved his hands about.  “There’s a skiff just off the port bow – a lone man!”

Flint looks to where the watch is pointing.

Percival jogs up to the watch and takes the spy glass and lifts it to his eye.

“Holy shit,” Percival whispers, only distantly registering the captain ordering the quartermaster to turn the ship towards the skiff.

 

-

 

“It’s good to see you,” Percival says, easily pulling Merlin up onto the deck of _The Walrus_.

“Aye, and you,” Merlin says.

“You know each other?” Flint asks, his eyes darting between them.

“Yes, Captain,” Percival says, “we’re very old friends.”

“Hm,” Flint says, as his eyes flick over Merlin – assessing, lingering this side of too long.  “And what happened to you, lad?”

“Fell asleep,” Merlin says, looking up at Flint from underneath his lashes, “next I know, a storm’s pulled me away from shore.”

Percival smirks, watching as with each word and flutter of his eyelashes – Merlin wraps Flint around his finger.  And Flint falls so easily, Percival notes, just like they all do.

 

-

 

“I think we should have some fun,” Merlin says that night, sinking down into Percival’s lap.

“Merlin—”

“They can’t see us,” Merlin whispers, his eyes flashing gold, “they can’t hear us,” his eyes flash again.

“You’re going to be the death of me,” Percival says, throwing his head back as Merlin grinds his hips slowly against Percival’s cock.

“Not until I get you to scream my name first,” Merlin says, brushing his lips against Percival’s cheek.  “I want you to scream so loud, my magic strains to keep the others from hearing.”

 

-

 

“We’ve all done things we’re not proud of,” Merlin says, staring at the horizon, leaning against the banister of _The Walrus_ shoulder-to-shoulder with Percival.  “When you live as long as we have – regrets are unavoidable.”

Percival nods, looks down at his folded hands.  He looks back up when Merlin’s hand comes up to rest on his bicep.

“Percival,” he says, “we live with our regrets, but we don’t let them control us.”

“How do you always know what to say?” Percival asks, smiling softly.

Merlin’s sad-fond smile says everything that there are no words for.

“We’ll be fine,” Merlin says, turning his eyes back out to the ocean.  “We’ll keep on until the others are ready to join us again.”

 

-

 

“Is there no way I can convince you to stay on as crew?” Flint asks, watching despondently as Merlin stepped down onto the dock at Havana.

“I’m afraid not, Captain,” Merlin says to Flint before turning to Percival.  “If you’re ever in trouble, you know to call for me.  I’ll come.”

“And if I wanted you to stay?” Percival asks.

Merlin looks at Percival, eyes sad. “You know that I can’t,” he says, “no matter how much I’d like to.”

Percival bites his tongue against saying how Arthur can wait, how even Merlin needs time to breathe.  Instead he just nods, forces himself to smile before pushing away from the banister.

 

-x-

 

He understands why they don’t come back for him.  He does.  And he’s only barely able to talk Merlin (who had saved him from the sea) into not going after _The Walrus_.

“Maybe I’ll go find them,” Percival says into his drink, “I may not have trusted Flint in the end, but they’re a good crew.”

Merlin nods, takes a sip of his beer, before he looks up at Percival and says: “I think I’ll come with you.”

Percival grins, wide and ecstatic.

 

-z-

 

End.


End file.
